#AndrewCaldwell confronts controversial chef #DariusCooks about his alleged shady business practices and this ensued
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Nia Wright
I was a huge fan until last week, when I saw a small clip on the news about Darius being shady he got sued, filed for bankruptcy and was forced to close his restaurant.
I was a huge fan until last week, when I saw a small clip on the news about Darius being shady he got sued, filed for bankruptcy and was forced to close his restaurant.
Samantha T Little
Nia Wright he got too big headed for me, I unfollowed, not that he cares, I just didn't care for his "new" character....he was so cool @1st
Nia Wright
Samantha T Little he lost weight and started showing his ass
Tasha Flippin
Nia Wright all facts!
Sandra Gatlin
Darius ain't asked nobody to order his merchandise, listen to his lives, do to dinners they do it cause they want to!! Since Andrew is not a chef, or in food service industry ,merchandiser etc. Why his he talking? I know free speech. Just to be relevant...I don't agree with Doxing,but when folks don't know they ordered e books from hard backs or can't provide order # on the lives when ya trying to blast him on the lives.
Justice Kimble
To anyone who is unaware Darius Cooks is literally been on the Atlanta news because he dox, blocks and six his followers on any customer who complains that they never got their order or that they never got their refund . He has put their names their families names husband's names children's names and photos out there and had his followers go and attack them and he's done this on his lives
Darius ain't asked nobody to order his merchandise, listen to his lives, do to dinners they do it cause they want to!! Since Andrew is not a chef, or in food service industry ,merchandiser etc. Why his he talking? I know free speech. Just to be relevant...I don't agree with Doxing,but when folks don't know they ordered e books from hard backs or can't provide order # on the lives when ya trying to blast him on the lives.
Justice Kimble
To anyone who is unaware Darius Cooks is literally been on the Atlanta news because he dox, blocks and six his followers on any customer who complains that they never got their order or that they never got their refund . He has put their names their families names husband's names children's names and photos out there and had his followers go and attack them and he's done this on his lives
Tee S. Doe
Edit: Launching a federal investigation! Only the feds can do that, and it’s based on evidence, not foolishness. you sound crazy as hell. Honestly, who the hell needs Andrew, or any other influencer to address matters pertaining to them? If Darius, wronged someone, then they need to take that up with Darius. As a person who has purchased many things from Darius, and had ONE ISSUE…Shyt happens. Hell, shyt happens w/Amazon, Nordstrom & JCP too. Is Darius intentionally scamming folk, I don’t think so…BUT if you think he’s shady/scammer don’t fudge with him. Easy.
Edit: Launching a federal investigation! Only the feds can do that, and it’s based on evidence, not foolishness. you sound crazy as hell. Honestly, who the hell needs Andrew, or any other influencer to address matters pertaining to them? If Darius, wronged someone, then they need to take that up with Darius. As a person who has purchased many things from Darius, and had ONE ISSUE…Shyt happens. Hell, shyt happens w/Amazon, Nordstrom & JCP too. Is Darius intentionally scamming folk, I don’t think so…BUT if you think he’s shady/scammer don’t fudge with him. Easy.
GiGi Bradley
When pple don't have facts, or proof they start screaming, over talking you, loud, strong and wrong! Red face and screeching
When pple don't have facts, or proof they start screaming, over talking you, loud, strong and wrong! Red face and screeching
Dee Anara
READ for yourself. Make your own judgement https://southerngritmagazine.com/darius-cooks-or-darius.../
FEATURES34Darius Cooks or #dariuscrooks? Popular Food Personality Under Fire Amidst Multiple Allegations
By Southern Grit · On June 28, 2021
Article by Debra Freeman
Lead Photo: Screenshot of Darius “DariusCooks” Williams
Food Network television host, cookbook authors, former employees and others take to social media with charges of recipe theft, fraud, and assault against popular food personality and former restaurateur Darius Williams.
Darius “DariusCooks” Williams is a popular food blogger with over a million followers on Facebook alone, and on his website Dariuscooks.tv, along with soul food recipes, he also sells cookbooks, apparel, and tickets to Dining With DariusCooks, his dinner series.
Williams also owned three restaurants, Soul Crab Atlanta and Soul Crab Chicago, as well as Greens and Gravy in Atlanta, all of which have since closed their doors. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the restaurants closed after Williams’ company, Above 701, Inc., agreed to a settlement totaling $145,750 due to illegal credit repair activity.
Earlier this month, Angela Davis, a private chef and digital cookbook author, began making multiple posts on Twitter against Williams, charging several counts of misconduct by Williams, culminating in the #dariuscrooks hashtag.
Screenshots from Davis’ Instagram
According to Davis, the impetus for her posts began when she and Williams were both tagged in a post for a lasagna recipe and the pair exchanged critiques on their individual social media feeds. Davis posted screenshots on Twitter of complaints against Williams from the Better Business Bureau, links to ongoing lawsuits, and retweeted posts from former employees who alleged they were never compensated for their work. “I started noticing there was some stuff that hadn’t ever been addressed,” said Davis.
Screenshots from Davis’ Twitter
One such commenter on Davis’ Twitter feed was Kiara Ross, who worked at the Atlanta Soul Crab restaurant as a server. Ross also said she filed a police report for assault against Williams. “I just wanted my money. This is two years ago. I don’t know Angela. I started going through the thread and I wanted to tell my story. I’ve been sitting on it for so long and it has to stop. I didn’t know how much it triggered me until now,” said Ross.
Sunny Anderson, cookbook author and co-host of Food Network’s The Kitchen is also expressing grievances with Williams. In a conversation with Anderson, she explained that in 2011, she invited him to be on her show, Cooking For Real, for two episodes.
She noted that during this time period, she was asked to invest in Williams’ business venture, Fresh2Go, a grocery delivery service in Chicago. Anderson explained that she declined, but after the shows aired, she began receiving complaints because it was assumed they worked together, since he was on her show. “I got messages on Twitter about Fresh2Go and there were complaints that people had given their credit card information but no delivery; they reached out to me because he was on my show. I called him to ask what was going on and he hung up. I called back and he never picked up again,” said Anderson.
Cookbook author and Food Network host Sunny Anderson
According to Anderson, later in 2017, Williams reached out to Food Network producers in order to be on The Kitchen, and she forwarded emails to the network outlining her previous interactions. The network declined to have Williams come on the show.
“Hopefully people that do business with him will research him. When you add up everything, he took an opportunity and ruined it. At every turn he’s choosing to be dishonest and I hope he stops,” said Anderson.
In addition, multiple chefs have alleged on Twitter that Williams has also stolen recipes. In the thread, Davis points to a chorizo and shrimp burger recipe Williams includes in his cookbook, Stories From My Grandmother’s Kitchen, and comments that the recipe was already on Mandy Lee’s Lady and Pups website before the book’s publication.
Private chef and digital cookbook author Angela Davis
Chef/owner of The Sofrito Project, Reina Gascón-López, has also addressed charges of recipe theft. “There’s a big difference between being inspired by someone’s work and then giving them credit for adapting their recipe. And he doesn’t do that at all. And that’s what is so frustrating about the entire situation that’s unfolding. His fans and supporters enable his predatory and toxic behavior that’s so common in the culinary industry, both in and out of restaurants,’ said Gascón-López.
Ultimately, Davis, Anderson, and Ross collectively echo they want accountability for the predatory practices they assert Williams has committed in the culinary field. Davis also hopes this will create conversations about the erasure of Black women and food. “Black women have been feeding this country since its inception and it is past time for us to reclaim the narrative,” said Davis.
*Southern Grit reached out to Darius Williams on multiple occasions for comment and he did not respond.
For more on this story visit the following links-
READ for yourself. Make your own judgement https://southerngritmagazine.com/darius-cooks-or-darius.../
FEATURES34Darius Cooks or #dariuscrooks? Popular Food Personality Under Fire Amidst Multiple Allegations
By Southern Grit · On June 28, 2021
Article by Debra Freeman
Lead Photo: Screenshot of Darius “DariusCooks” Williams
Food Network television host, cookbook authors, former employees and others take to social media with charges of recipe theft, fraud, and assault against popular food personality and former restaurateur Darius Williams.
Darius “DariusCooks” Williams is a popular food blogger with over a million followers on Facebook alone, and on his website Dariuscooks.tv, along with soul food recipes, he also sells cookbooks, apparel, and tickets to Dining With DariusCooks, his dinner series.
Williams also owned three restaurants, Soul Crab Atlanta and Soul Crab Chicago, as well as Greens and Gravy in Atlanta, all of which have since closed their doors. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the restaurants closed after Williams’ company, Above 701, Inc., agreed to a settlement totaling $145,750 due to illegal credit repair activity.
Earlier this month, Angela Davis, a private chef and digital cookbook author, began making multiple posts on Twitter against Williams, charging several counts of misconduct by Williams, culminating in the #dariuscrooks hashtag.
Screenshots from Davis’ Instagram
According to Davis, the impetus for her posts began when she and Williams were both tagged in a post for a lasagna recipe and the pair exchanged critiques on their individual social media feeds. Davis posted screenshots on Twitter of complaints against Williams from the Better Business Bureau, links to ongoing lawsuits, and retweeted posts from former employees who alleged they were never compensated for their work. “I started noticing there was some stuff that hadn’t ever been addressed,” said Davis.
Screenshots from Davis’ Twitter
One such commenter on Davis’ Twitter feed was Kiara Ross, who worked at the Atlanta Soul Crab restaurant as a server. Ross also said she filed a police report for assault against Williams. “I just wanted my money. This is two years ago. I don’t know Angela. I started going through the thread and I wanted to tell my story. I’ve been sitting on it for so long and it has to stop. I didn’t know how much it triggered me until now,” said Ross.
Sunny Anderson, cookbook author and co-host of Food Network’s The Kitchen is also expressing grievances with Williams. In a conversation with Anderson, she explained that in 2011, she invited him to be on her show, Cooking For Real, for two episodes.
She noted that during this time period, she was asked to invest in Williams’ business venture, Fresh2Go, a grocery delivery service in Chicago. Anderson explained that she declined, but after the shows aired, she began receiving complaints because it was assumed they worked together, since he was on her show. “I got messages on Twitter about Fresh2Go and there were complaints that people had given their credit card information but no delivery; they reached out to me because he was on my show. I called him to ask what was going on and he hung up. I called back and he never picked up again,” said Anderson.
Cookbook author and Food Network host Sunny Anderson
According to Anderson, later in 2017, Williams reached out to Food Network producers in order to be on The Kitchen, and she forwarded emails to the network outlining her previous interactions. The network declined to have Williams come on the show.
“Hopefully people that do business with him will research him. When you add up everything, he took an opportunity and ruined it. At every turn he’s choosing to be dishonest and I hope he stops,” said Anderson.
In addition, multiple chefs have alleged on Twitter that Williams has also stolen recipes. In the thread, Davis points to a chorizo and shrimp burger recipe Williams includes in his cookbook, Stories From My Grandmother’s Kitchen, and comments that the recipe was already on Mandy Lee’s Lady and Pups website before the book’s publication.
Private chef and digital cookbook author Angela Davis
Chef/owner of The Sofrito Project, Reina Gascón-López, has also addressed charges of recipe theft. “There’s a big difference between being inspired by someone’s work and then giving them credit for adapting their recipe. And he doesn’t do that at all. And that’s what is so frustrating about the entire situation that’s unfolding. His fans and supporters enable his predatory and toxic behavior that’s so common in the culinary industry, both in and out of restaurants,’ said Gascón-López.
Ultimately, Davis, Anderson, and Ross collectively echo they want accountability for the predatory practices they assert Williams has committed in the culinary field. Davis also hopes this will create conversations about the erasure of Black women and food. “Black women have been feeding this country since its inception and it is past time for us to reclaim the narrative,” said Davis.
*Southern Grit reached out to Darius Williams on multiple occasions for comment and he did not respond.
For more on this story visit the following links-
Darius DariusCooks Williams
April 13 at 5:36 PM ·
Andrea Withrow here, you can see - when you use Sezzle, I don’t control the refunds. You’ll need to contact them and I’ll approve the refund. I just tried to refund in the system and I’m unable to.
'Dining with Darius' accused of giving homeowners heaping helping of heartburn
'Dining with Darius' accused of giving homeowners heaping helping of heartburn (fox5atlanta.com)
I’m not familiar with him. That Fox 5 video appeared in my YouTube newsfeed so I wondered if there was a thread on this board.
That first post with the IG argument is a hot goddamned mess!!
Darius Williams
May 6 at 4:25 PM ·
Cool. So, this is what we have. Cherrone Jones who goes by @chickdatbakes on Twitter is a baker who started a hate group to deplatform me. It seems that even though Sweet Pumpkin blocked me, she still watches EVERY live stream. Oh, and she likes to reach out to AirBNB owners to tell them I’m hosting a dinner party…after I already told them and they approved. She’s not doing a great job of covering her tracks. Further, she joined Instagram in Nov of 21. The first attacks started coming at me during the summer of 2021. I wonder why a baker who has never been a customer of mine or purchased anything from me spends her days attempting to destroy me. Any guesses?!
Darius Williams
May 6 at 4:25 PM ·
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May 6 at 4:25 PM ·
Cool. So, this is what we have. Cherrone Jones who goes by @chickdatbakes on Twitter is a baker who started a hate group to deplatform me. It seems that even though Sweet Pumpkin blocked me, she still watches EVERY live stream. Oh, and she likes to reach out to AirBNB owners to tell them I’m hosting a dinner party…after I already told them and they approved. She’s not doing a great job of covering her tracks. Further, she joined Instagram in Nov of 21. The first attacks started coming at me during the summer of 2021. I wonder why a baker who has never been a customer of mine or purchased anything from me spends her days attempting to destroy me. Any guesses?!
Darius Williams
May 6 at 4:25 PM ·
1111
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=AZVh-SWTB9A83FBeidtc7qieGKy-S9Q6Nz3c-qLnV_N0TRG_RyQd1qGXjH9UCc8p-VUKcsLRg8iISqmb2a1HcGaDN466F_Ze4bLAGQaOgOKGaku1MrepnB9V15we3e8bXckNaxH7zak6KqVa4QnRWdIcgetl45YmrgmLXD1jqcfN8Q&__tn__=R']Amante De Harlem
She said WHATEVER it takes.. So to me that means lies, sabotage, false accusations, false statements and trap setting.
